Intuition
by weskerscoffee
Summary: Despite being separated by the vast emptiness of space, Kylo Ren & Rey are drawn to one another by a series of dreams and visions. Even if their bond is unwanted, neither can deny the connection they feel. Is this link strong enough to mend old wounds and finally settle their conflict? Together, can they bring balance? ( Slow burn. Sexual tension. Reylo. Dare I say, love? )
1. Rest

After recent events, Kylo Ren found it impossible to drift away into slumber. Every time those dark eyes lay shut, haunting images surfaced. The images of Han Solo's last moments clouded his mind, and were forever engraved within his memory.

An action that only led him to a deeper feeling of pain. A feeling so deep and heavy that it surpassed the millions of screams that echoed through his mind. Had it been too late before, it certainly was now. However, the pull to the light still lingered about. Her impression subsided deep within him. So deep, that even an act as despicable as killing his own father had not silenced the call to the light, which beckoned him.

He lowered himself back against the firm mattress within his quarters. The mostly empty space, in which he resided in, was hard, cold, and dark. The deep wound that started at his jaw, sliced up his cheek, and ended near his brow was the only relic she had left behind. The phantom burn of his scar was nearly as painful as her absence. Those glazed eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, and his minds drifted back the scavenger girl, **Rey**. Leaning up, he bent his knees, straightened his back, and closed his eyes. Kylo Ren tried to rid his mind of such thoughts.

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 _For a moment, he found himself submerged in a stark white empty space. Before long, yellow and blue rays began to penetrate the nothingness. The sound of gentle waves crashing filled his ears. Upon studying the landscape, Kylo Ren knew he had crossed some threshold while meditating. He now stood upon a rocky island, but there was something about it. Something was familiar. His mind drifted back to the time he had penetrated her thoughts. This was not just any island, it was **the island**._

 _His feet carried him forward. Those dark eyes beared down hard and peered in the direction in front of him. He could feel her presence even stronger than he had on Takodanna. The undeniable connection that linked them was stronger than ever._

 _Had he have known that breaking past her mind's barrier would have formed such an attachment, he would have approach her with more caution. Even with all the distance she had put between them, he heard her thoughts, felt her pain, and known her loneliness. Up until this very moment, the bond they shared through the force called to him. Perhaps, it had been inevitable...even fate, he thought._

 _Regardless, it was an attachment he had not desired, for it complicated his intentions. Despite telling the girl not to fear their connection, he had not considered his own words. Fear had consumed him. The chain that bound them had the power to pull him towards the light. This burden needed to be handled quickly._

 _Suddenly, his legs came to a halt. She sats silently before him with her eyes closed. Rey was lost so deep within her own thoughts, she had not noticed his intrusion. His ungloved hand reached for his lightsaber, but it had not crossed realms with him. His intentions had been to challenge her strength, and learn how she had grown over her time with Luke. He had appeared wearing only black pants, and regrettably left behind the persona he portrayed for others._

 _As he approached, her eyes darted open. For a moment, his presence appeared to surprise her. However, it was not the first time he had appeared to her within a dream. Yet, this time felt more real. By his appearance, she knew he had come to her from far away._

 _Without the use of her hands, she managed to her feet. Those hazel eyes narrowed to glare at him. Her every way seemed a little different. She was harder, and she had lost a bit of her warmth._

 _A feeling of emptiness was prompted by her coldness. His entire existence had mostly been cold, hard, and brutal. His most fond memory of her eyes closed, during the last battle, flooded his memory. The image of the way the light illuminated off her tan skin was clearer than anything. His body betrayed him, and he began to gravitate towards her._

 _The scar drew her attention to his face. He took notice that she was not studying his uncloaked form, but rather his disfigurement. The very idea stopped him from proceeding forward. A sharp phantom pain pulsed upon his cheek once more._

 _Through her eyes, he knew she was viewing a monster. Swiftly, his hand lifted towards his cheek. Before he made contact with his injury, her hand was already placed upon it. Rough fingertips traced along the old wound upon his snow white cheek. The sensation of her touch forced a soft sigh to escape his lips._

 _Her touch had unsettled him, and left a part of him feeling vulnerable. This vulnerability had already been there. It subsided within ever since their last encounter. Ever since she had left him alone and broken in the woods of Starkiller Base. He had offered himself to her, but she had rejected him. Rejection was not something he handled very well._

 _His piercing dark eyes tried to look through her, but were distracted by her own gaze. The hardness of her face had gone soft, and the coldness of her eyes dispatched. Rey was admiring a familiar face. One that reminded of her of Han Solo._

 _The feeling of her touch was a comfort that he had not felt in years or even over a decade. He had not known the sensation of another's touch. The last time he had felt any connection through physical contact was an embrace with his mother as a small child._

 _All the emotions that coursed through him brought him to his knees. Her knees buckled to allow herself to kneel down in front of him._

 _Her arms pulled themselves around him, while her hand traveled through his dark locks and pushed his head against her shoulder._

 _Defeated by her embrace, he allowed her in. His eyes fell closed, and for that moment he yielded to the light. His body felt light as he traveled back through the realms to his physical form. He traveled back as quick as a blink of the eye. When his subconscious mind met with his unconscious body, he jolted up. For the first time in a while, he felt well rested._


	2. Vision

Time had no meaning on Ahch-to. The uninhabited planet was always calm and serene. The heat of the sun was accompanied by a cool breeze, which made for a good balance. A place where one could truly clear their mind, and rid themselves of the burdens in life. However, deep down Rey knew a storm was brewing.

She was practicing her meditation on a large rock that extended to form a cliff overlooking the ocean. The sun was at her back. Her hands were placed on the ground, and her legs in the air. Those arms were strong and steady in perfect stance.

" _Flowing through all, there is balance_." she remembered her teachings. She raised her left arm, and held all her weight on the other. Her mind then wandered to her first meeting with the Jedi Master.

" _You have taken your first step into a larger world_." Those were the first words he had spoken to her. They were words that felt so familiar, for she heard them in a vision spoken by another. The man behind the gray robes was wise and cynical. Yet, he had a kindness about him. Rey feared that the hint of kindness was all that remained of her hero, Luke Skywalker.

" _Fear will misguide you_." A voice echoed in her mind. Luke's wisdom came from his experiences, and his distrust from a heartbreaking betrayal. She had witnessed a chapter of this betrayal first hand. A moment in time that still plagued her nightmares. Even so, Rey could not hate Kylo Ren, nor could she kill him. The bond they shared triumphed Ben Solo's alter ego, Kylo Ren.

While still holding a perfect stance, her mind dwelled on him. Being apart left a greater feeling of desolation than she had felt on Jakku. Her heart, body, and soul ached to feel whole. The consequences of their bond was a secret she hoped to keep to herself. Reluctantly, in time Rey would confide in her master. She needed guidance, and Luke was her only hope. In truth, Rey felt that Luke already knew.

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Kylo Ren stomped down the hallway of The First Order's Star Destroyer, _Finalizer_. He heard talk that The First Order had located the Resistance's new base. Masked and menacing as ever, he approach General Hux.

"Is it true? You have located the Resistance base?" his voice was firm and his body sturdy.

A slight grin crossed Hux's face as he stared back at Kylo Ren. Hux knew he posed no direct threat to him. Though, he did remain silently cautious from having witnessed many of Ren's outbursts.

"Indeed. Preparations for our attack are being made as we speak. I do hope you accompany the raid. After all, it has been a long time since you were reunited with your mother." Hux's tone was smug, and he hoped to get under his skin.

Kylo Ren remained calm on the outside. Within, was a different story. The realization of a confrontation with General Organa, his mother, set in. He turned away and stood silently for a moment before Hux spoke again.

"And **the** **girl** _…_ There is no doubt that we will be able to obtain the map to Luke Skywalker's whereabouts. Supreme leader Snoke feels that your training is near complete. The Knights of Ren will escort you on a mission to destroy the scavenger scum, and your old master."

Hux had once again got the best of Kylo Ren. The mere mention of Rey's name made his blood boil. Rage filled his face behind the mask. He turned back towards Hux. His glare was so sharp that it felt like he was piercing through Hux's flesh. His dominate hand clenched into a fist.

Hux suspected that Ren had developed some kind of attachment to the girl he called **Rey** _._ More so, his reaction confirmed it.

The urge to strike Hux down filled his entire being, but he restrained himself. The blood coursed through his veins, and his muscles twitched."There will come a day where you find that you are directly in the way of my path." He turned and began to walk away. "Keep me well informed on those preparations."

Upon entering his quarters, Ren plopped onto his mattress. After unclasping his helmet, he slammed it down beside him. Mind racing, he could not shake his hesitancy to confront Rey. During their outer body encounter, he had seen her memory of the map while his head rested on her shoulder. He had not been searching for it. Instead, it came to him. A part of him wondered if she had given it to him, for reasons that remained unknown. Regardless, he needed to regain his direction, but had no one to turn to.

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Rey lowered her left arm, and raised her right. A balancing act that was slightly more difficult. Her stance still as strong and steady as a stone.

Luke stood nearby and observed his student before murmuring a part of the Gray Jedi Code. "There is no peace without a passion to create. There is no passion without peace to guide."

The word **passion** struck her. She pondered her own motivations. Was it the desire to know about her past and where she came from? Those were questions that still remained unknown and unspoken. Throughout her time with Luke, her mind had been full of wonder. However, she held back her questions.

"Be patient," she reminded herself, and she tried to look towards the future. Somewhere within, Rey knew the truth. Her motives were pure. The light had guided her to her destiny. One that led her away from her life on Jakku, and put her directly in the path of Kylo Ren.

"Let go of your fear, Rey." Luke spoke within Rey's mind.

Her lids grew heavy and her mind drifted while those hazel eyes lay shut.

"There is no peace without a passion to create. There is no passion without peace to guide." Rey continued to dissect the meaning of these words. Her left arm was still supporting her handstand. The stance was as steady as her beating heart.

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 _The even thuds echoed loudly inside her head. Sounds of a rapid heartbeat obstructed the fluid rhythm. Rey found herself within a realm, one not of this world. This vision was quite different from her others. This time she was only but an onlooker, and was unable to interact._

 _Far in the distance, her eyes caught a glimpse of two cloaked forms. By their stature, one could tell they were a male and female. The male was much taller and wore black. The black cloak was a heavy contrast to the woman's pure white robe. Her sharp eyes focused on their faces, but they were hidden behind the flowing cloth._

 _Without hesitation, the figures embraced before connecting at the lips. Unsure of what this meant, Rey began to run towards the figures. She hoped to catch a glimpse of them. As she ran, the ground began to fall from under her feet. Her pace was quick, and she denied returning to reality._

 _After a while, the forms dissolved. Suddenly, before her laid a stream. Silence filled the air, while she got lost looking at her own reflection. For a moment, Rey was bewildered by the white fabric that pulled around her neck and flowed down to her feet. The rapid heartbeat penetrated the deafening silence. It's rapidness strongly inverse of the stream's steady motion._

 _Strong arms pulled around her waist from behind. A new warmth brushed against her cheek. She gasped at the sudden connection, and her head jolted to the side only to meet the gaze of Kylo Ren. Black material draped down his body. Silent moments passed, and neither blinked. His eyes locked on to her like a predator hunting it's prey._

 _Before long, his rapid heartbeat was interrupted by her own. The sound of her own steady beat enticed him. So much, that his own calmed and matched her rhythm. Thuds perfectly in sync. He leaned in towards her lips, inches away. Frightened by his closeness, Rey pulled away from him. Her reaction caused the vision to crumble._

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While within her vision, Rey had been channeling the force without knowing. Many boulders gravitated around her as she meditated. The sudden break of the trance had forced the boulders down. Shortly after, Rey's arms gave out, and her body tumbled over. A rough landing that sent her head crashing against the solid formation in which she had been meditating on.

The sun had long set, and a vast amount of stars filled the sky. Rey's body was wrecked. She was barely able to get back onto her feet. Before looking, she felt Luke's presence. He had observed it all. Shame overwhelmed her, and words could not be formed. Tears developed as she finally made contact with his light eyes.

"I should have told you." Rey expressed regrettably. "I still feel like he is in my head." The word began to flow more easily.

Luke took a moment to consider her words. Indeed, he had known about their bond since their first encounter. He felt Kylo Ren's presence marked within her. A presence that he had not felt in some time. "The bond you share with him is inherently unconditional love."

Rey was taken back for a moment. Fear tugged within her stomach. "I feel nothing for him." Her words were quick and firm.

A soft sigh escaped his lips and he gently responded, "but you will. I have seen it."

Tears made their way down her cheeks. The warmth she had felt had faded into a cold sweat. "I could never. He killed Han Solo," she muttered lightly. It was not clear if she trying to convince herself, or Luke.

Luke walked over to her stunned frozen form. He touch her shoulder in hope to ease her pain and offer her a bit of comfort. "Kylo Ren killed Han Solo. However, _Ben Solo_ spared your life. He is lost in darkness. Ben needs your help. He could still come back." His words mirrored Maz Kanata.

Suddenly, Rey realized that the person Maz spoke of was not Luke, but Ben.

"Rest young one, for tomorrow we have a lot to discuss." With that said, Luke disappeared into the night.

Weak legs carried her down the narrow jagged pathway that led to the Millennium Falcon. Once aboard, Rey quietly descended to her room. Similar to her dwelling on Jakku, her room only had the basic essentials. Across the small enclosure was a bunk. Though it was hard and worn out, Rey was currently thankful for it. Her battered body got much needed comfort from laying back against it. No longer could she stop herself from sobbing. It had been weeks since she had a good cry. Soon her body would submit to rest.

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Like a million knives striking at once, Kylo Ren felt a deep pain. The feeling caused him to take a step back. His lips let out a long breath, while his mind tried to grasp what was happening. He sensed the pain was undoubtedly **hers.** He had the sudden desire to call to her. Instead, he walked over to the window within his quarters and stared at the emptiness of space.


	3. Memories

Even within her deep slumber, she could feel the throbbing pain of her head injury. Overtaken by emotion, Rey had not even taken the time to tend to the small gash embedded into the top of her forehead. Leaving her body on Ahch-To, unconscious mind fled, and settled into darkness.

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 _The mass of darkness was thick like fog, and hard to maneuver. Ahead in the distance, she saw a spark glowing a reddish-yellow. Her heart began to sink for she felt his presence near the red orb, and it was fading fast. Rey struggled to make her way over to the shimmering light. The air was thick, which made her feel like she was suffocating. Her bare feet began to stick to the ground as if it was black tar. Struggling to move forward, Rey feared that this world meant to consume her mind. Perhaps, this was the powerful hold the darkness had on him, and she had gotten dangerously close it it._

 _Using most of her strength, she arrived at the intense spark just before it went out. Feeling drawn to it's flame, as if it called to her, she involuntarily placed her slender finger upon it. An intense pain pulsed through her hand, and caused her to quickly pull back. A slight whimper flowed out as she pulled her clenched hand to her chest. A figure then instantaneously turned from within the shadows._

 _Yielding his cross-guard lightsaber, Kylo Ren held his weapon up ready to strike the unknown intruder._

 _The sudden gesture startled Rey, and sent her falling backwards. Instead of hitting the ground, she began to plummet into complete darkness._

 _Without hesitation, his arms extended to grab hers, and he pulled her out of murk. Those strong hands lingered as both their eyes met. Unmasked, he was._

 _Her mind pondered the pain she felt, his pain. Rey desired to address it. Her lips parted, and they began to form words._

 _However, he silenced her as if he already knew her inquiry._

 _"Shh, close your eyes," he murmured softly._

 _His intense gaze made it known that he would not back down on his request._

 _Puzzled by his almost gentleness, Rey obliged his demand. Behind closed eyes, she felt him lean closer to her._

 _His intensity only grew as he studied her face. After taking her in fully, a grin pulled across his lips, but only for a moment. Kylo Ren wonder why her intrusion pleased him so._

 _Rey could feel his breath upon her neck. His closeness caused her to exhale sharply, and her body to quake._

 _Suddenly, a familiar breeze blew at Rey's skin. Her eyes peeked open to see never ending stars as they stood on Ahch-To's beach. Her body was frozen by the feeling of his hands still clutching her arms. Though, they had loosened their grip a bit._

 _"Ahch-To... the only place you have ever felt comfort."_

 _Stunned by his words, her eyes widened._

 _Thinking he had plucked her whereabouts from her mind, she snapped,"then you were using my feelings to cloud my judgement? I knew it could not be true."_

 _Rey pulled away from him, and took a distrusted step back. Unable to hide the disappoint that overwhelmed her._

 _Kylo Ren felt her slip away from his grasp. An action that left him devastated. Yet, at the same time, he found her suspension to be infuriating. After all, despite fighting on opposite sides, he had always been honest with her. A truth he thought he had made clear from their first conversation._

 _A low growl left his lips, but he reconsidered her words. He pondered her use of the word feelings. Then he wondered what she meant by "it could not be true." Clearly, she had seen something, a vision perhaps._

 _"It appears that you are the one who has not been completely honest…To address your suspicions, I indeed inquired the map on our last encounter. Though, I had not been searching for it. If I had, I would not be speaking to you within a dream. With that being said, The First Order is currently in pursuit of it. However, their first intention is to take out the Resistance's Base. Soon after, they will have the map. Therefore, you should flee this forsaken island now."_

 _Rey found his confidence in The First Order to be irritating, and she sneered at him. "Then let them come, and I shall be prepared to face them."_

 _His eyes wandered away from hers before he replied with a sigh, "it is not The First Order that you will be facing."_

 _Words that plagued her stomach with pain, for he was the person she would undoubtable face in battle. Though her feelings lay dormant under hard surface, they were present._

 _He felt her loneliness, but there was something else… Something she was hiding._

 _Promptly he rush towards her._

 _With hardly any time to react, Rey just stared at his height, which dominated over her. Just as swift as his movement towards her, she felt his hand reach to her cheek._

 _He did not need the force to restrain her, not this time. His gloved hand caressed her cheek tenderly, while looking deep within her eyes. To his surprise, she allowed him in. His mind began to penetrate through her own. He recalled the last time he entered her mind, and how painful it was against her restraint. This time was different. Being allowed within felt intoxicating._

 _Reluctantly, she placed her own hand upon his cheek._

 _Eager for her to better understand him, he let her in. Being one within each other's minds intensified the feeling into pleasure. Their eyes were still locked on one another as both searched through the other's past._

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 _Kylo Ren arrived on the desert planet, Jakku. He aimlessly wandered through the sweltering heat and endless sands, which continued in every direction. Soon, he came upon an abandoned At-At unit. Feeling drawn to it, he entered. Those dangerous eyes scanned around the small make-shift dwelling._

 _Stunned, he focused his attention on the thousands of lines carved into the wall. While his eyes stayed fixed on the wall, Kylo Ren pulled a glove from his right hand. Bare fingers traced the textured of the lines. Guilt overwhelmed him as he witnessed the prison he had created for her._

 _Looking back towards the small table, he noticed a withered flower sitting next to an aged golden bell. A small detail he had long forgotten. His long fingers took a hold of the fragile plant. With total care, he grabbed it, wrapped it in his glove, and placed it within one of his pockets._

 _Before moving on, he hesitated and reached for the bell. Within his grown hand, it looked smaller than he remembered. Though it was worn, it's sound was rich. Unable to leave behind his sentiment, he slipped the bell into his other pocket._

 _An unfamiliar memento from the distant past caught his attention. A handcrafted doll wearing an orange resistance pilot jumpsuit sat nearby. Before he could take it, the sound of whimpering filled his ears. Immediately, he turned to see a young girl sobbing in the corner of the room._

 _Her dark locks were pulled back to make three separate buns. His body paused for a moment while he took in the girl's melancholy state. After grasping the doll, he kneeled down in front of her._

"Here…" His voice but a whisper as he offered her the doll to calm her.

 _The girls hazel eyes lite, and she abruptly jumped into his arms. Frozen from her action, his arms laid heavily at his sides. Moments passed before the young one's innocent gaze met his own. Her regard was without judgement. His intense expression softened as she stared at him._

 _Those small hand smoothed over his scar as she spoke, "I knew you would come back for me." She offered him a wide smile, but it soon faded as she spoke once more. "What happened to you?" Her question was concerning his injury._

 _Yet, the question was a symbol of a much deeper meaning._

 _Lor San Tekka's words flash through his mind, "something far worse has happened to you." Words spoken only moments before he struck the old man down._

 _"Someday, I will tell you…" Those were his final words to the young Rey before he welcomed her embraced with his own._

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 _Simultaneously, Rey had entered his mind. However, to her surprise, she found herself back on Jakku. Dazed, she followed her usual route towards Niima Outpost. She passed by a white and gray shuttle just outside of town. At the moment, it appeared empty, and she payed it no mind._

 _Though she walked through many vendors and merchants, their faces were blurred in his memory. However, even though their faces were unseen, Rey knew most of them. She traveled down this dusty pathway enough times to remember their day to day routine. Through her years growing up on Jakku, nothing had ever really changed. It was a constant battle of survival on an inhabited planet that lacked the resources to live comfortably._

 _Rey was perplexed to why his mind brought her to this place. She thought this memory should come from her own mind, not his. Soon she came upon a figure, standing with a young girl. Their backs were turned. So, she could not make out their faces. Upon closer inspection, she came to the realization that she was staring at the younger version of herself._

 _Rey knew this memory, for she had seen it before in a vision. Perhaps, Kylo Ren had seen it too. The desire to stop the person from abandoning her burned within. Deep down, she knew she could not intervene with a memory. Yet, she could not stop herself from proceeding forward. If anything, she had to look upon their face. She had to know the truth of their identity._

 _The tall figure before her wore a brown cloak. She ran towards them, and tugged at their arm roughly. Her action forced the cloak form to turn. Rey's heart ached at the sight of the face that stared back at her. Dark hair extended down past his ears. His expression was soft, but sad. Without-a-doubt, she knew she was staring at the face of a much younger Ben Solo. Those dark eyes, that she had come to know, looked back at her._

 _Ben took her by the arm and pulled her into his chest before muttering, "Stay here, I'll come back for you. I'll come back for you, sweetheart, I promise."_

 _A voice she had heard many times within her dreams. A presence that had always been there. A truth that he had never completely left her alone._

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 _Outside of their memories, within the dream, Kylo Ren's gloved hands stroked along Rey's arm. Despite his mind being focused on her memories, his body had it's own intentions. Being allowed within her mind, only filled half of his desire to feel whole. He needed her body and soul._

 _Unknowingly, he pulled her against himself. The feeling of their bodies colliding drove him wild. Similar to his mind, his hands began venture to places they probably should not._

 _Heavy breathing filled her chest from his advancement, but she did not object to his fondling._

 _His body's movements grabbed, caressed, and pressed into her._

 _Rey had never allowed anyone to handle her like this. In fact, she protested to another simply taking her hand._

 _As he continued, a moan escaped from her lips._

 _The very sound of her pleasure, urged him to pull out of her mind. He let out his own rapid breaths, and felt drizzles of sweat sliding down his forehead. His sudden departure broke her concentration as well._

 _Flustered by his closeness, Rey's cheeks grew warm. Her eyes looked away. Every time she glanced up, she caught him staring back at her._

 _Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his tokens. To his surprise, the withered flower was lush and thriving. He had not found what he had been searching for within. Instead, he was reminded of a part of himself that had been lost. A part that had withered, like the flower._

 _Rey focused upon the worn out bell. Evidence that something could still shimmer and play a beautiful tone despite not being taken care of. His softness was overtaken by serious eyes as he slid the flower behind her ear. His lips nearly touched her own._

 _"The next time I see you..." Words began to drift out as he carefully stroked his hand near her injury. Before he could finish, their connection was cut off._

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	4. Stories From the Past

Rey's eyes popped open as she was abruptly thrown from her dream. Feeling rather frazzled, her hand frantically reached for the flower he had placed behind her ear. However, the evidence of his intimate actions had faded with the dream. Despite that, the damp warmth she felt between her legs was proof enough. A twinge of desire that she had never known. One that caused her to cross her legs, and pull the thin bed sheet over her lower half.

Of course, she knew of these things, and had rejected many propositions on Jakku. Others' perversions had been the very reason she had learned self-defense. Infact, she had been continuously harassed by the grotesque Unkar Plutt. Even so, her thoughts were far from those times, for the motive behind his passion was something far more pure.

Rising from her bed, Rey strolled out of the Falcon and headed down to the private water hole that she bathed in. It was encapsulated by mountainous rocks with a small waterfall. The water was clear blue, but at this late hour one could only make out the reflection of Ahch-To's bright moon.

Her hands pulled away at the light gray fabric that covered her bare body. In Rey's own mind, her figure was far from perfect. Her form had accommodated many scrapes and bruises while training. Fingers traced along the latest addition at the top of her forehead.

Soon her body was submerged under the cool steady water. Leaning back, she let her undone hair dip into it. Her arched back caused her breast to extend out of the water. Goosebumps developed upon her small perky bosoms from the chill of the night. She hovered in the water, and watched the sun's rays penetrate the darkness of the night.

" _The next time I see you_ ," his voice still lived within her mind.

She pondered what he could have meant, and for the first time conscious mind called to him.

"Tell me, when will I see you again? I mean," she paused for a moment, "in this world…" word flew out as gentle as the night's breeze.

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Feeling himself being lost within her, he had willingly withdrawn himself from their dream. Still, the sensation of their fluid movements burned deep within. He could imagine the feeling of her soft skin, the sound of her pleasure, and the smell of her sweat upon him.

Sensual feelings merely brought upon by entering her mind with permission. Enchanted mind could not help but drift to other places, ideas, and actions.

First, he thought of her eyes. The longing look of a lover, whom had been kept away. A solemn gaze not just looking in his direction, but really seeing him. Next, he envisioned her lips for he found them most tempting. Words of confessions to be spoken. They were alluring in nature, and he pondered how they must taste. Lastly, he imagined how she might protest at first. Until, he silenced her with the pleasure of his lips upon her wet folds. Images of such vivid clarity helped him obtain the release that he so desperately needed.

Laying silently, he turned on his side and caught his breath. Once he calmed himself, he left his sleeping quarters. Arriving at the washroom, he undressed and stepped into the shower. The water was far from warm, which helped sooth his unsettled state. Cool liquid poured over his dark locks, streamed down his bare muscular form, and cleansed his agitated condition.

Just as he began to find his composure, her voice echoed within. His mind caught a glimpse of her current indecency. Curious eyes leered in her direction long enough to take in her entire unclothed figure. Though her current form was arousing, tender feelings tugged at his heart. His chest felt tight as his emotions smothered his breath. The yearning that pulled through his entire being was greater than the desire to solely invade her intimate areas. Mesmerized by her perfect body he strayed within **the force** trance.

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 _Lips pulled away from one another, while wide eyes remained locked on her. The site of his sun-kissed maiden was invigorating._

 _"You called for me so soon. I have to admit, I was not expecting you to do so. Otherwise, I would have prepared a more decent attire." His thick brow perked up as amorous eyes inspected her once more. "Clearly, you have nothing to be modest about." Shamelessly, he left himself exposed as he spoke._

 _Despite her inner insecurities, Rey stood from the water, and offered him a better view. She would not allow him to intimidating her. Instead, she stood before him with confidence._

 _"I cannot say that I like the way you are speaking to me." Her eyes battled curiosity as she tried to keep them from wandering. She fought hard to keep them focused upon his stare, rather than venture to lower regions. The resistance made her fidget, which caused her eyes to blink uncontrollably._

 _"Answer my question," she demanded a response._

 _His gaze filled with dismay, and he worried she had taken offense to his words. Ultimately, he had meant her no disrespect. Infact, he held her in the highest of regards. This woman had more dignity than any man he had ever known, more so than himself. He had admired her strength since their first encounter._

 _His motives had been to protect her virtue, which is why he handled her the way he had. Going against Kylo Ren's dark nature, he had chosen to carry her bridal style, selected not to torture her, and taken off his weapon of intimidation (his mask). More so, he had spared her life, and offered to show her the ways of the force. Despite what it may seem, his intention had never been to sway her to the darkness. Rather, at that time, he simply did not wish to fight her._

 _"First, you have to answer mine." While searching deeply within her eyes as if looking for some truth, he asked, "do you still want to kill me?"_

 _"Why shouldn't I?" her voice scoffed at him._

 _Kylo Ren was to taken back by her words to notice the dishonesty in her reply. In truth, Rey had never desired to kill the man behind the mask._

 _Feeling as though she had satisfied his question, he grievously responded, "you will get your chance soon enough. The next time we meet, shall be in the flesh. I am looking forward to that day," his bitter words spoken to sting._

 _That longing gazed had morphed into a glare, and his demeanor turned grim. Feeling tortured by her response, Kylo Ren once again withdrew from her. Still submerged under the shower faucet, he punched his fist into the metal wall. Just like his current state, the cool water had grown much colder. He knew she could never develop an attachment for him, such as he had for her. Rey's response only further encouraged his doubt._

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The heat of the late afternoon reminded Rey of her life before. Intense beams beat upon her back as she climbed what seemed like never ending stairs. A small mass of earth was the foundation of Luke's meditation. The light of sun highlighted his serene expression. Blue eyes were closed, as he sat in full lotus position. Once she reached the top, his focused shifted to her. Yet, eyes remained closed. Though he had not acknowledged her, she knew to sit. Her legs crossed themselves, and her eyes mirrored his own.

"You have spoken to him again. His presence was lost in darkness, until your arrival. Tell me why."

Rey felt flustered by his inquisition, but knew Luke's guidance would offer her some comfort. Over time, Rey had come to better understand her master. Despite his hard exterior, she knew his inner kindness. A compassion that she fully trusted and had become reliant upon. Rey had grown to love Luke like family.

"I don't know. It was strange, such a horrid place that I found him in. The darkness there meant to consume me. It was he that pulled me away from it. I can't say that I understand."

Unsatisfied by her answer, Luke uttered, "search your feelings Rey."

She obliged his request, and began to recall those intimate moments between her and Luke's nephew. Genuinely, she had not considered the motives behind his actions. Until, she remembered his gentleness, and the way he held her.

"He was...protecting me," a moment of clarity struck her as the words spilled from her lips.

"I didn't realize it at the time. He led me back, to you." A long sigh fled her lips as she continued. "I know I shouldn't have, but I allowed him to look within my mind. By doing so, he let me in his… Honestly, I expected complete suffering and darkness. Instead, I saw myself. It was him...he left me. He left me on Jakku. Why him? How did he know me?" Her words began to break, and she no longer could shy away from the truth.

Luke's presence remained calm and his stance strong. "I have been waiting, for quite a while, to tell you a story from long ago."

"Ben was under my guidance at the time, just as you are now. As you already know, he was training to be a Jedi. He was just fifteen years old when General Organa had received information about a child. The young girl was of significant birth and directly in the path of danger. This danger was prompted by the very name in which she was born with. I sent Ben on his first solo mission to take the child, and stow her away where no one could find her. A family friend, a man named Lor San Tekka, agreed to look after her on the desert planet called Jakku. When the time was right, Ben was to come back for her. However, that time never came, Ben was lost in darkness, and the girl remains in danger. You should know, Ben never wanted to leave you there. Upon traveling together, he had grown quite fond you. He proclaimed that you were kindred spirits. When that day arrived, he protested against my order, saying that it was cruel. He suggested that you should stay with us, and that he could protect you. It was a day that I have gone over in my mind many times. I fear, it was the first step that brought him to doubt the Jedi way. You see, Ben was also abandoned in a way. Though he was loved by his parents, they never settled into normals lives. Ben was sent to train with me at a young age, and missed out on their affection. But listen, from what I can understand, the force is trying to reunite you with Ben. It seems that it is the only way to restore balance. The connection you share is inevitable. It's fate."

At last, his light eyes opened to see her stunned expression.

Rey was at a loss for words.

Suddenly, Luke's mind drifted to another place. His expression turned serious, as if there was some sort of disturbance in the force. He stood to his feet and motioned her towards him.

"Come child, I sense a heavy storm tonight. Let us go gather food and prepare. We have much more to discuss later."

Later that evening, Rey sat in her fallen hero's chair. Her body was slouched back, while grieved eyes peered out the Millennium Falcon's cockpit window. Just as Luke predicted, an intense storm unleashed upon Ahch-To. The rest of the ship's crew had elected to give Rey some space. Luke's words had given her much to think about. Before she drilled deeper into her own past, she needed time to heal.

Though the past choice to leave her saddened her, she trusted Luke's judgement. However, the thought of Ben Solo protesting to leave her weighed heavy on her heart. A part of her mourned for Ben, while the other prepared to face Kylo Ren.

The rain was so heavy that Rey was unable to see in the distance. So, she closed her eyes, and listened to the sound of raindrops beating against metal. A melody was formed from it's soft chimes among the booms of thunder, and whistles of the wind. A song that entranced her soul, and brought about peaceful feelings. Until, the sweet harmony was broken by the sound of a roaring explosion.

Shocked eyes shot open, and she did not take a moment to hesitate. Rey took to her feet, grabbed her bo staff, and rushed out of the Falcon. In the thick rain, she could not make out which direction the sound had come from. Her heart sank as she felt **him** _._ Kylo Ren had arrived on Ahch-To. She turned to stare ahead into the darkness.


	5. Sacrifice

After leaving his padawan to her thoughts, Luke made his way back to his mediation rock. The powerful storm washed over his body, while his mind rambled elsewhere. Luke was searching in the darkness for his former student. An action he had attempted many times, but failed. To his surprise, Kylo Ren's presence was near. Infact, he was...

Luke's concentration was broken by the sound of an incoming ship. As the small black craft hovered over the island, Luke raised his hand and sent the ship crashing down. A loud bang was accompanied by a bright cloud of fire. For a moment, the darkness was lit by reds, oranges, and yellows. Knowing the strength of those inside, his action would merely slow them down.

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Rey used a lot of her strength to rush up the steep pathway as fast as she could. Her heart was full of worry, for Kylo Ren's presence was not the only one she felt. She was rather certain he was accompanied by six other dark figures. Her mind created an obscure image of their menacing silhouettes.

The torrent of water had completely soaked her, which caused her loose buns to come undone as she ran. Straggles of hair traced down her face in the same fluid motions as the raindrops. Wet cloth clinged to her body.

Arriving at a patch of open greenery midway up the pathway, Rey witnessed Luke being surrounded by five dark figures. Details of their suits were masked by darkness. However, Rey noticed the reflection of the light illuminating off one's medieval style weaponry. As she readied herself to charge, Luke held his hand out and motioned her to stop.

"Find Ben!" His voice echoed loudly in her mind.

Tired feet felt heavy as she found it hard to leave behind her master in an uneven fight. Also, proceeding forward meant a one on one encounter with Kylo Ren. Quickly adrenaline kicked in, and gave her the strength to continue up the mountain. Her last site was of Luke throwing one of the masked men through the air with ease.

At last, she arrived near the top of the cliff. Kylo Ren's presence was strong. She closed her eyes and focused on him.

Suddenly, Rey's presence was made known to him. He felt her searching for him, and rushed towards her location. A heavy weight tugged at his heart. He felt danger near her. A danger he had brought. His feet barely scraped the floor, for he raced to her side ever so rapidly.

Rey felt him coming towards her from behind. She turned only to see another stalking beneath the shadows. Kylo Ren had not been the only masked man whom sought for her.

The towering fiend caught her off guard, and swung his weapon at her. The staff he wielded was similar to her own.

Reflexes were quick enough to stop his attack. The middle of her bo staff collided with the front of his.

His initial attack was merely a diversion for his second. As their staffs met, his leg flung up and delivered a harsh blow to her side.

This attack forced her body to turn and fall face forward to the ground. Her elbows and knees scraped against the rocks as she fell. Her staff flew forward away from her grasp. Disoriented for a moment, Rey drifted in the puddle of water that her body was slightly submerged in. Once reality set in, she turned to see him prepared to make his final blow.

"Ben!" Those were the final words she chose to speak before her inevitable doom.

Time seemed to slow as Kylo Ren's lightsaber pierced through the chest of Rey's assailant. The red plasma blade was extinguished following his fatal maneuver. Subsequently, the warrior fell to the ground dead.

Both their eyes were locked upon one another. Emotions soared from their reunion. Despite it only being a few months since the events that took place on Starkiller Base, it felt like a lifetime. Both had felt broken without the other, and had been crazed with anticipation for this very moment.

Being near her, felt more powerful than any dream. Fragile mind pondered about why she had called for him. Even more so, the word she had spoken was Ben, not Kylo Ren. Hearing his birth name spoken by her struck him deeply. Especially since, he had never heard her speak his name out loud.

Desire consumed his entire being. He needed to touch her in any way possible. More so, he craved to comfort her as he had in the past. Only this time, his feelings had matured to something else. A feeling he chose to remain unspoken, to both the scavenger girl and to himself. One which he hoped to eliminate. That is, if he was strong enough. It was indeed his order, his mission, and his purpose to complete his transformation into the darkness.

Kylo Ren staggered to his fallen scavenger. He roughly tugged her up. His gloved hand squeezed her forearm, and refused to allow her out of his grasp. To better secure her, he pulled his other arm around her waist. Now that she was entangled against him, he freed her arm.

His hand ventured up to pull at her jaw. Behind the mask, he observed her and checked from any injuries. The fingers that grasped her jaw moved her face from side to side. Dark eyes scanned over her intoxicating looks, and he paused to study her heart shaped lips. He had always admired her natural beauty, nearly as much as he had her strength.

Both his hands reached up to push the strings of wet hair from her face.

"Your hair down, suits you." his muffled voice broke the silence, and his hands began to venture down her arms.

His soft caress caused her body to tremble.

He paused when he noticed her blooded elbows. Moving downward, he took her hands within his own, and noticed her palms were scraped.

Feeling flustered by his intimate gesture, Rey reluctantly eased back.

With haste, his hand grasped at the small of her back. He would not let her get away so easily. If she did not desire his handling, he wanted her to express so firmly. Since he received no further objection, his hand pulled at the wet fabric that clung to her waist. The way the fabric exposed the shape of her body had caught his attention. Strong hands pulled the cloth up, and he studied the new bruise that was forming at her side, just below her ribcage. Seeing her injured brought upon feelings of distress, if only for a moment.

Having had enough of his games, Rey's arms pushed him away. She then stepped back to ensure she was out of his reach.

That would be the last time he allowed her to reject him, he thought as he was pushed out of his trance. He had come so close to the light. It's very presence had graced his skin, and filled his heart. He would have allowed it to consume him, if she had only granted him entrance. However, the goddess of light had pushed him away, and left him in disdain.

He was beneath her, and could see himself through her eyes. Through them, he saw a monster, a murderer, something that was barely even human. Kylo Ren would have bowed before her and pledged himself to her cause, had she had given him any subtle signal. All he needed was a single look of longing, but instead he got that of indifference. In his mind, indifference was worse than hate. For at least, hate was prompted by some kind of feeling or affection. She felt nothing for him, he knew that much.

Her eyes could not see the face behind the mask. She could not see the yearning in his expression, the conflict, nor did she feel his internal struggle. Simply she saw, his weapon of intimidation. His mask.

Thoughts fled to Luke, and she worried for his well being. Why else had he brought these horrifying men here? If not to eliminate Luke and herself. The fact that he came to her masked was evidence enough. She was not looking at the face of Ben Solo, but the monstrous Kylo Ren.

If anything, not seeing his face was easier. Rey could fight the masked man known as Kylo Ren. However, the face of Ben Solo was much harder. The face of the one she had kissed within a vision. Unknowingly, her memory of such a vision was received to the one facing her.

The very thought distracted him as he saw it in his own mind. He did not understand why her mind would venture to such a place. Not after the way she had pushed him away.

"I have a gift for you," words he spoke with a sigh.

His words caught her off guard just as his actions had, and she muttered, "a gift?"

Her mind could not recall a time where she had ever received a gift. Perhaps, only as a child, from the one formerly known as Ben Solo. A memory of a flower and bell flashed through her mind. They were the same pair that he had given her in their dream.

"A family heirloom," he muttered as he unfastened a lightsaber and offered it to her. "The saber belonged to your grandfather."

Tears formed in her now softened eyes. "The name…?" Those were the only two words she could muster.

"Kenobi."

Rey recognized the name from legend, just as she had the name Skywalker. Her hand reached for the lightsaber, and as she grasped it she felt his thumb trace along her own. A final attempt to sway her, no less.

"Ignite it…" he dared to say as his heart raced.

Unsure of what path to follow, Rey hesitantly ignited her saber. This gesture was the push he needed to ignite his own. He waited for her to strike first, as he had before.

Moments passed, and before she attacked, her lips mumbled, "it's easier to fight you with the mask. Much easier than looking at the face of your former self. I do not wish to look upon that face..."

In her own way, she hinted at her compassion. Her expression simply meant that she preferred the face of Ben, and did not wish to fight him. However, Kylo Ren did not read it so.

"Ben Solo no longer exists." His free hand reached up to press the release of his mask.

Soon after, he allowed it to plummet to the ground. The metal made a loud clank as it hit into the stony ground. Seeing his perfect face gave her quite a fright, for it made her suddenly feel weak.

"Even the face behind the mask is that of Kylo Ren." his voice was much colder than before.

His words caused her to charge towards him. Her style was still uniquely hers, but had gain much refinement.

Once lightsabers met, the light flung wildly within the darkness. The rain hitting their blades caused for a more beautiful site than it had within the snowflakes on Starkiller Base.

Rather than playing the defensive end this time, Kylo Ren came at her hard. He managed to push her back, and continue towards her with a wide perfect stance. The movements they made helped ease his unsettled state.

Their dance within the moonlight had a strong passion behind it, and both were getting some kind of pleasure from it.

A grin pulled across his lips every time he heard her lips expel a gasp, a moan, or a battlecry.

Both were breathing heavily as hungry eyes watched one another.

Rey was aware that Kylo Ren's new found strength triumphed her own. Also that, he was still holding back. However, his advances were close to being deadly. Another push towards darkness, and she was in trouble.

Their battle came upon the cliffside, just as it had before. Kylo Ren once again had pinned his opponent to the edge of demise.

Rey felt his presence slipping. Though her back was the one being pushed toward the edge of the cliff, he was the one falling. Their sabers collided with a fierce force. Kylo Ren was on the brink of breaking. In moments, their duel would be over, and he would be victorious.

A moment she could not let slip away, like every flash of time had up until this very second. Rey's arms felt heavy, and she could not hold him back for much longer. She needed to act now. Hands trembled as she held his saber back, while her own lightsaber was being pushed back towards herself. His strong push forward forced their body less than a few inches apart. Her eyes looked back into his dominant stare. The light of the lightsabers caused a purple reflection within his eyes. Searching deep inside of him, she stumble across a memory.

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 _In an instant, she was back on Starkiller Base standing in front of Han Solo on the platform, which he spent his last moments pleading with his son. Rey stood in the place of Kylo Ren, and watched through his perspective. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she knew what was to come next. She wished to look away, but was frozen in place. In that instant, she saw Han Solo press the button to ignite the lightsaber himself. A sacrifice intended to save his son. In his own mind, Ben was trapped in a paradox. To be free, Han had to die. Rather it be for good or evil. Had Ben killed his father himself, he would have gained strength and been lost in darkness for the remainder of his days. However, the loss of his father had weakened him, and ultimately led to having a greater pull towards the light. Rey was looking at the past, but soon saw a vision from the future. What she saw brought her joy, but also terrified her._

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Outside of her trance, Rey's lightsaber was nearly falling out of her hand.

Kylo Ren had eased up on his attack, and his eyes stared at her with a stunned expression.

Her eyes shot open and looked back at him with a new view. Something had changed in her. He could feel it.

"You did not kill your father… He sacrificed himself, for you… and I…" Her words broke off as she exposed a truth he meant to keep hidden. She extinguished her lightsaber and took two steps back.

Feeling rather perplexed, his heart was unsteady as he watched her. Before he could interfere, Rey pulled her arms up, like a bird spreading it's wings, and allowed herself to fall backwards off the cliff.

She had taken a leap of faith. An action that sent Kylo Ren into a panic. He reached out for her, but came up short. Without a second thought, he dropped his lightsaber, pulled off his cloak, and dived in the rough water after her.


	6. Savior

[ **Important note:** This chapter introduces a sequence where events are happening simultaneously. The descriptions written in italics are through Rey's perspective in a dream-like limbo. I recommend reading this chapter while listening to Moonlight Sonata, and hope you enjoy!]

Falling through the dark nighttime sky prompted memories that were long forgotten. They came to her like waves, crashing and disbursing just as quickly as they appeared. Images flowed through her mind like a flip-book. Constantly changing, without giving the full picture.

She saw herself as a child wearing a noble dress. The image dissolved into a blurred scene of a woman embracing her younger self, as Ben Solo stood in the background. Flashbacks appeared to flow more quickly and less vividly, until they reached her last memory.

As memories ceased, the freeze-framed picture of Ben reaching for her, along the cliffside, was frozen in her mind. His phantom presence was pulled away into the a bright light as her limp body crashed into the water.

The force of the impact knocked the breath out of her. Submerge beneath the sea, her body sank deeper and deeper into the vast nothingness. Under the sea, it was too dark to see, too quiet to hear, and too numb to feel.

Rey was completely alone with her conscious mind. For the first time ever, she was completely awake. Her last bit of breath expelled before her eyes fell shut.

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 _Rey was aware that her conscious had traveled far beyond, and left it's vessel elsewhere. Being in the endless green was easier than living. Here, she could enjoy the warmth of the sun's rays without feeling thirst. The paradise shielded her from any hardship. Within this utopia, she could guard her heart. Before long, she began to forget how she had gotten there._

His tense body plunged into the murky sea only moments after hers. Rather frantically, he searched through the waters. Underneath the rough waves was utter darkness. Those keen eyes could not find her within the shadows.

 _Bare feet traveled through the open plain, full of purple blossoms. Unexpectedly, Rey caught site of a small child. A soft smile pulled across her lips, as she stalked after them. Her mind could not fathom why they would be here. From behind, she could not make out the details of the child's face, but only that of the dark locks that rested upon their shoulders. From such a distance, the youth reminded her of a younger Ben Solo._

For a moment, he hovered under the water completely motionless. Mind was focused, as tempers cooled. Though she was near, he could no longer feel her presence. Her life force had faded. Rey was gone. A feeling of utter emptiness overtook his entire being. He could not go on without her. He would not. Just as hopelessness began to eat away at his broken heart, the moonlight peeked into the water.

 _Rey continued to follow the child until they came near a cliff's edge. Seeing such a young one near the edge, made her feel uneasy. The child began to turn to face her, but the brightness of the sun skewed her vision._

The moonlight was just bright enough to highlight Rey's sunken silhouette. With every passing moment, the light began to fade as if it were her very life. The clouds above meaning to mask the moon's true radiance. With all his strength and great speed, he glided through the heavy current.

 _As her vision was blinded by the soaring light, the child turned and edged closer to the cliff's end. Before they fell, Rey grasped them within her arms. She embraced them with a maternal like bond, while kind eyes glance over their face. At that moment, the light illuminating from the sun seemed to dim._

Just before the light dissipated, he rose above the water's surface holding his motionless maiden. His muscular arm grasped her ever so tight. Though the storm had began to dispatch, the waves in the water were still fierce. It took all his strength to get them both to the shore.

 _Upon seeing the child's face, Rey's mouth fell open. Every detail of his face resembled Ben, except for his eyes. The eyes that stared back at her were her own. The same child that was shown to her through prophesy only moments before her descent. Rey peered over the cliff, and a flash of Ben reaching out, reminded her of her fall. Looking back at the child, she knew she could not stay here._

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Legs weighed down by grief shuffled through the white sands. Falling to his knees, he lowered her absent body against the cold wet sand.

At this moment, time was everything. Though, such an abstract idea presented itself in different forms. For instance, in terms of a ticking clock, he had no time to waste. He had not a second to think about how he was invading her, with the very breath in which he gave. Yet, time was slipping away, as he beat upon her heart. No span of days past seemed as important as this one. When compared to the vast reaches of both time and space, and other galaxies far far away… this moment held no gravity. But to him, this moment was eternal. If she did not wake, time would have no meaning or rather stop all together. If she died, he would die too.

"Rey…" his mournful words uttered out her name. Like breathing, the words expelled so easily the name he wished to speak everyday, until the end of times.

The background scenery faded, and she was all that lay before him. No sound swayed in the shrub, nor crash of wave met the shore. One last time, he lowered his lips upon hers. It was not the kiss of passion that his fantasy had run wild with. Instead, it was that of life.

Whatever bond that bound them, borrowed life from within him. He would forever be a part of her. After his breath filled her lungs, determined lips pulled away.

The feeling of his warmth pulled through her veins, and graced her heart with a slow but steady beat. After taking in his breath, her weary eyes gently opened.

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She did not look upon her savior, but rather the man whom she had saved. Her shaky hand lifted to place itself onto his scarred cheek. While locked within his gaze, she knew the face that looked back at her was Ben. Though he might be scarred, he had returned. His will abandoned the order, betrayed the knights, and left behind the mask.

Never could he completely absorb the light. However, he could use his darkness to aid the moonlight's true brilliance. He would worship the moon, if she allowed him to grace her bright aura with his ebony shadow.

His face pushed against her hand, while his own hand reached up to grasp atop hers. Slowly his lips turned into her hand, and eased across her palm and the full length of her fingers.

An action that soothed her spirit. The soft gesture sent an intoxicating sensation through her nerves. When he noticed how her body trembled, strong arms pulled her weakened form into his bare chest.

"A child…" her lips muttered against his ear before nuzzling into the warmth of his neck.

Words were too obscure to unravel. Though he found her secret intriguing, he choose not to press the issue, not now. A whisper he planned to later reveal, when the time was right. For now, he just enjoy their conflict being set aside.

The storm was over.

Tasting her salty skin was evidence that she was real. This was not a dream, and her cold fragile body lay cradled in his arms. If she allowed him, he would give her every bit of warmth his body harvested. Tender lips travel to place themselves atop her forehead. A kiss intended to bring her some comfort. His strong arms pulled her even tighter against his form, as he took to his feet.

Just as he stood, Luke made his presence known. He approached Ben without a word spoken. The deafening silence invaded their intimate moment, as sharp eyes looked upon them.


	7. Farewell, master

Aboard the Millennium Falcon, Rey's wrecked body rested against a firm bunk mattress. The same one she had collapsed on many nights, after her training. The very room in which Ben once inhibited. His presence had always been about in this space. Yet, Rey had not recognized the remanence of his energy until that very moment. As body leaned forward, a sharp pain in her side forced a gasp. Strained eyes glanced over the neatly wrapped bandages on her waist. The memory, of only moments before, forced her face to glow a scarlet red. Reaching up, her hand covered her mouth.

...

 _Rey knew it was useless to protest, as Ben carried her to the Falcon. His powerful arms clasped her like a piece of delicate glass as if she could break. After reaching his old sleeping quarter, he placed her ever so gently onto his old mattress._

 _Without any trouble navigating the space, he found an old first aid kit. Everything in the Falcon was exactly as he remembered, with the exception of a couple of technical upgrades. Feelings of nostalgia washed over him. For a moment, body paused and studying the container, before wiping the dust off of it._

 _Upon returning to her side, he stripped her of her wet clothes. First, his hand grasped and pulled her belt loose. By doing so, he was granted access to remove her vest and tunic. Unstable hands continued down to untie the string which secured her pants. For a moment, he struggled to get them undone. Once they were successfully unfastened, he tore her pants off her. A chill pulled across her skin as she sat in only her undergarments, which had become mostly transparent in their wet condition._

 _If the moment had been uncomfortable for him, his face showed no tell. Yet, there was an unseen tension between the two. Ben offered her a thin blanket to drape over her shoulders, as he inspected her. Rather than lips forming words, his eyes would speak to her._

 _Seldom did her remorseful stare meet with his own. However, when their gaze met, his feelings might as well of flowed out in the form of words. For that moment, she understood and shared his feelings. Her flushed cheeks grew a bit warmer, at the thought of him, and the ways his fingertips smoothed over her damped skin._

 _Her modesty came not from her exposure, but rather from his unexpected gentleness. It was like meeting him for the first time, yet always knowing him. Soft curious eyes watched his every movement and stopped to linger at his lips. Mind drifted to thoughts about how it felt when they graced the length of her hand. The memory made her shudder and caused her to clench a fist._

 _The thought moved into a deeper abyss, as she wondered what it must have felt like to have his lips on top of her own. If only her daydream had ended sooner, than perhaps her memory could have served her better. Her lips pulled into a half grin as she thought of her first encounter with another's lips. Soon, her grin grew into a small smile, which she desperately tried to repress._

 _Ben's movements momentarily ceased, and his dark eyes crept back up to hers. It was as though she had spoken her thoughts out loud. A tortured kind of expression consumed his face, while a heavy breath expelled from his lips. Her pounding heart was like a melody to him. He would remind her of the feeling if her mind continued on with those thoughts._

 _The moment that had brought them together was soon to slip away. Knowing that, made her ease closer to him. If she allowed him this intimate moment, it would break the unseen barrier, which kept them at arm's length._

 _His large hand warmed her chilled skin as it graced her side with a soft stroke. Fingertips eased right below her breast. He leaned forward to meet her lips. So near that tip of his nose brushed against her own, while his arm cradled around her back and pulled her to him._

 _Though his handling was with ease, she winced out in pain. Ben quickly pulled back. Face overcome by fear that he might have caused her harm. Her pain reminded him of his duty, and so he would refrain from being so forward again._

 _The examination concluded that Rey had fractured a few ribs. He finished bandaging up her wounds before disappearing off the ship. The moment was lost._

...

Rey stumbled as she took to her feet. After his departure, her tired body had given into rest. The thin blanket was pulled around her nearly bare form. Opening a storage closet, her hand grasped a hold of a spare change of clothes. After carefully slipping into the gray cloth garments, bare feet carried her into the Falcon's cockpit.

Ben felt her presence silently standing at the entrance. Without turning, he muttered for her to join him. Resting back in the co-pilot's seat, his eyes darted over to watch her slide into the pilot's seat beside him. It took all his strength to not protest the fact that she was already out of bed when she should be resting. Again, silence consumed the drafty room. Two pairs of longing eyes glanced anywhere, but at each other.

Mind began to slip away as Rey's attention focused on the condensation that was forming over the window. The fusion of warm with cold blocked her from seeing beyond. Instead, she would have to advert those dreary eyes elsewhere. His expression was less than confident, unlike before.

Feeling her eyes upon him caused him to meet her gaze. Again, he said nothing.

For reasons as unknown as the vast reaches beyond the galaxy, his silent gaze felt comfortable. Those dark eyes no longer frightened her, but rather pulled her in, as if they were a black hole. "Thank you for..." she started to express words of gratitude that seemed to echo about the quiet steel room.

Though her words were kind, they cut and burnt him like a blade made of fire. "Don't. Those are words that I never wish to hear you speak to me." His response was not near as warm as the feeling of his touch only hours before.

His cold tone forced her to retract, and she quickly stood. "I will do and say what I please. I say those words to you now, and I hope to say them again."

Arising from his chair, he stood to tower over her. "Then, I am afraid that you will have to get used to disappointment." Feeling unworthy of her kindness prompted his furry. Ben knew he did not deserve her gratitude, nor her affections. Furthermore, he had a history of letting down those he cared about.

Taken back by his harshness, she disguised her sorrow behind a glare. "Forgive me, I am now reminded of your true character."

Dark haunting eyes fixed on hers. He could see the lament behind her blaze, for the reflection of his own silhouette, quaked within her watery eyes. "Tell me, what do you make of it?"

"Very little."

He had underestimated the power of her words, and how they could wound him. Before he could muster a retort, she snapped once more. "Besides, I am used to people disappointing me."

A hard gulped pulled down his throat, and her response had momentarily silenced him. Though he wished to hold his head down with shame, remorseful eyes stayed locked on hers.

Her gaze was like looking through the past. Within it, he saw the girl he had spent nearly eight years comforting within dreams and visions. His presence had left her shortly after his twenty-third birthday, just before the child had grown into a young woman… The woman before him was not the girl he remembered.

While being entangled with the dark side, he had mostly forgotten her. Ben had even forgotten himself when he became Kylo Ren. That is until he and his knights embarked on a mission. While pursuing a rumor of the whereabouts of Darth Vader's lightsaber, Kylo Ren stumbled on another saber from legend. It was then, that he acquired Obi Wan Kenobi's lightsaber instead. A shock that sent him to his knees.

Just has Rey had seen Kylo Ren in her vision; he had seen her. However, six long years had passed, and he did not recognize her. The woman before him was a sad kind of beautiful, and he felt a pull towards her. A pull that tugged him away from darkness. However, he repressed the feelings that drew him to find her. Their connection flowed wildly through the force.

Every event, between now and then, happened to bring them together. A force so strong, that it tore the snowy ground of Starkiller Base in two, which ultimately ended their confrontation.

In truth, from this day forth, he would use every bit of his strength to keep from disappointing her again. If only he could retract those harsh words, but it was much too late. Especially since he was trapped within her glazed eyes.

While mind stumbled over its own thoughts, words of empathy were lost. His plea of a false truth wounded her. An intense expression studied her face. Upon looking her over, the tenseness around his eyes softened. Moving forward, Ben appeared as though he could kiss her.

Feeling the pull, she eased forward toward his lips, and let out a sharp breath. Before they met, she turned away.

As she began to flee the drafty space, he grasped a hold of her arm. "Rey..." his words pleaded for her to stay. Had his pride allowed it, he would have gotten down on his knees and begged. Instead, he released her and watched as she slipped away into the shadows of the hallway.

As she made her way down the narrow passage, a longing gaze turned to look back.

...

Before the night gave into daybreak, Ben sought-after her. He could no longer hold in his thoughts, nor his self-control. Perhaps, delirium brought upon by exhaustion had hijacked his mind. Blood was pumping through his veins like a raging river. The haste that fueled his desire to speak with her, came not from anger. Instead, it was sparked through a truth that he wished to speak. He would make sure that he said what he meant this time. Even more so, she would listen to every word.

Making his way through the lounge, he entered the room which housed that old bunk. Disappointment washed over him at the sight of an empty room. Currently, her presence was not on the ship. Her lack of appearance did not stop him from entering her personal space. Making his way through the room, Ben glanced around at her few belongings. Once he was done admiring her trinkets, tired feet stumbled over to her bunk.

The energy within the room was calming. For, the entanglement of both of their presence brought harmony to the small space. Yet, it was the sweet aroma of her scent that conquered his thoughts. A fragrance so potent that it lured him to rest his head down upon her pillow. While breathing in her essence, his eyes closed softly. Dreams ran frantic with his thoughts of her, which lay dormant deep in his subconscious mind. His true desires and fears were soon to present themselves.

...

Once again, Rey sought the advice of her master. Luke hovered silently over fresh graves. Strong winds blew at his dark robes, as footsteps approached from behind.

"You did that all by yourself?" Rey seemed troubled that he had not asked for her assistance, in burying those who had fallen, during the night.

"Ben assisted me." Words spilled from his tightened lips, as he turned to face her.

The look in his eyes was one of which she had never seen before. Though his stance was strong, she could see beyond his firm exterior. Luke's spirit was troubled. "I see. May I ask you, what did you say to him?"

Without hesitation, he replied, "I told him what he needed to hear."

Rey paused and struggled with pressing forward, with more questions, or not. "Forgive me, for my intrusion on the matter, but I must know... how did he respond?"

"Rey, you have grown strong enough to trust your own judgment. If you look deep enough, within yourself, then you will find that you already know the answers. If you want to continue to grow, you must move forward. Trust yourself. Trust the force. It will guide you, for I no longer can." Luke's gaze left her and peered over in the direction of the Falcon.

Somber eyes trailed along with his. "You are suggesting that I should leave?"

He offered her a simple nod. "Ben informed me that the resistance is in need of my aid. The First Order is planning an attack. Therefore, it is also time for me to stride as well. General Organa, my sister, I must go to her at once."

Her hazel eyes lit as words flowed out. "We can help you."

Those words were quickly shot down by Luke rejecting her with a gesture of the head. "You have other matters to attend to. During my absence, you are to travel with Ben as your companion. I have already informed him on the coordinates. It's a planet unlike any you would remember seeing. There, the Republic will be holding a conference. You must go and inform them of Snoke's intentions. Once I am reunited with Leia, we will meet you on that planet."

Rey found strength in Luke's trust in her. "Give my love to the general." Her lips curled to form a smile, in acceptance of her new mission. "And tell her, I will look after Ben. Also, if you see Finn, send him my love too. Tell him that I miss him, and hope he is recovering well."

Luke reached out and embraced Rey. "She will find comfort in knowing that. Though Leia has struggled with both the loss of her son and husband, she has never wavered. Nor has she been tempted by the dark side. She is strong with the force. You can assure Ben, that she forgives him. As for Finn, I will let him know. Inform Chewbacca and R2 that we are leaving at daybreak."

After saying her farewells to the droid and Wookie that she had grown to love, Rey searched through the Falcon for Ben. She found him in the place that was unexpected.

Watching him sleep was easy and justified since he had once studied her too. "Ben?" she muttered to see if he would respond. Instead, he laid silent. Her hand reached to gently stroke the strands of hair from his face. The rousing sensation of skin to skin contact soared through her arm, while her warm hand cupped the scar on his right cheek.

The moment her voice spoke out his name, made his dream feel all the more real.

...

 _"_ _Ben, the child..." Within the realm of dreams, Rey spoke of the secret she meant to reveal upon the white sands. Before he could inquire, her hand grasped his cheek and her lips danced wildly upon his._

 _In order to pull away, he first mustered all his strength to do so. "What child do you speak of, sweetheart?" His eyes peered down, and he noticed she cradled an infant in her arms._

 _"_ _Ours, of course."_

 _When his wide eyes met hers once more, he felt a burning pain in his heart. Rey no long grasped the infant, but instead her blue lightsaber. Tears formed in his eyes, feeling more pain from her betrayal than the wound itself._

 _While still in his trance, Ben let out a loud cry._

...

His scream made Rey jump with fright, and she quickly shook his shoulders. "Ben!" Her heart nearly skipped a beat from his sudden agony.

Abruptly, his eyes shot open with furry. Before Rey could react, he pulled her down onto the bunk and pinned her beneath him. Their chests met with each sharp puff of air. His eyes burned into hers, just like the saber from his dream. Having her pinned beneath him, soon made him forget about the nightmare.

Instead, he thought of their dream child, and how he was certain Rey had seen him too. Such thoughts tainted his mind, and all he could conceive was how he could make that dream a reality. Right now, he could have her.

The warmth that grew between her legs let him know that her body desired more from him. Possessed with passion, he thought of how his large form could crush her own... how he could kiss her in places that would make her beg for more… and how…

His heart began to beat more steadily when he caught her looking back at him. "Forgive me…" Sweat ran down his forehead and landed upon her cheek. Just then, he leaned up and pulled away from her. Hand masked his face with shame.

Rey moved closer to him and pulled his hand away. She held it tight in her own hand. "A nightmare? If we are to travel together, we must be honest with one another."

While tracing his thumb up her hand, he glanced down. "Not exactly. The child you spoke of…was he ours?"

When his eyes met hers again, she froze and stuttered as she tried to answer. "Yes…" was the only word she could muster.

Silence fell about the space, for some time, before worry tugged at her heart. "Then what caused you to feel distraught?" Mind began to make up its own conclusion. "The child..." Words were spoken just as quickly as they came to her.

"No..." Ben frowned at her accusation but held back his frustration. "That part was... nice." A sigh escaped before he continued. "In the dream, you presented the child and then killed me…"

Taken back by his words, she shook her head. "I could never…"

He was quick to stop her. "I know, come here." Strong arms entangled her and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Let us move forwards Rey. Will you have me as your stand in co-pilot?"

"I will have you as my ally...my companion."

Rey's nerves began to eat away at her as she sat in the Falcon's pilot seat. Once again, she was leaving behind her comrades and fighting a new battle in the same war.

She hoped they would meet again soon. Her hand was on the steering wheel, but she hesitated to blast the Falcon into space. Noticing her pause, Ben placed a reassuring hand atop hers. His touch gave her the strength to move ahead.


	8. Side Quest

After only a few days aboard the Millennium Falcon, Rey and Ben were already finding each other disagreeable. While trying to shift into hyperdrive, the Falcon had lost power. Shortly after, the backup generator kicked on dim backup lights.

Rey scrambled to find her way through the ship. Bursting open a side panel, her hand carefully whisked through a bunch of wiring. "It is completely corroded over here! There must be some kind of leak. Hand me…"

Her eyes darted up to see that Ben already had the tool she desired. "We should try to land on that planet to make our repairs." He merely suggested.

A low growl escaped her. "Back on that again! That planet is uncharted. We do not even know if they, whoever they are, would grant us access to land. I can fix this… I just need more time."

Her clear annoyance made him smirk. "I thought you were supposed to be the calm one. The planet does not appear to be developed."

Taking to her feet, her hand snatched the tool from him. It was as if she could beat him over the head with it. "I already told you, do not presume to know me." The tool frantically waved in the air as she spoke. "That conference is supposed to start in two days. We cannot risk landing on some forsaken planet, and getting into some kind of trouble."

"I would not have to 'presume' to know you if you opened up a little. I think I could handle knowing you." He grasped the tool back from her grasp. After his knees buckled, he began to make the repair himself.

Her arms folded across her chest, and she let out a long sigh. "The last thing I need is _your_ handling."

Her choice of phrase caused him to burst into laughter. "Choose your words wisely, Rey." He teased while closing the side panel. The lights flickered back on, making the ship temporarily functional. "The repair is only temporary. We still need to fix that leak before entering hyperspace." Upon standing, he moved closer to her. Tempting eyes looked over her face, and noticed her flushed cheeks. "I am glad I have the power to unsettle you. By the way, I think my handling is exactly what you need."

Just as she was about to snap a retort, the ship jerked forward. The sudden descent downward caused Rey to lose her footing. Consequently, her body crashed hard into his and knocked him off his feet.

Ben landed briskly against the nearby corridor with her on top of him. A soft moan trailed from his lips as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Are you alright?" Rey inquired with wide eyes.

Another grin pulled across those canny lips as he responded, "I am now. I must admit… I did not expect you to be so eager that you would jump me."

She snarled and pushed him away, which made his head collide with the hard steel wall again.

Worried eyes wondered about the space. "I have a bad feeling about this…" Just has she spoke, the Falcon took an even deeper plunge forward. They both tumbled down the floor of the hallway and landing against the wall outside of the cockpit.

Rey crawled over Ben to make her way through the doorway. Secretly, she was racing to beat him to her seat. With one wrong move, she stumbled and fell against the passenger's seat. Ben was right behind her. His arms cradled around her to hold her in place.

"Careful, sweetheart." his deep voice whispered.

Again, she pushed past him and finally landed in her seat. Her fingertips quickly flicked switches, pressed buttons, and grasped at the steering wheel. "Buckle up."

After clicking his seatbelt, his eyes wandered over to her. "Y-you buckle up... I thought you weren't landing the ship on that planet?!"

Her head shook frantically. "I wasn't… The planet is pulling us in!"

"Rey!" He unfastened himself and fought his way over to her. Hands swiftly fastened her seatbelt tight, while he shielded her with his body. Blasting through rows of tall trees, the Falcon crash landed into a shallow body of water.

Moments passed as they looked upon one another. Locked in the other's embrace, the silence was broken by laughter. Rey pressed her forehead against his.

"You're okay..." They expelled simultaneously.

"Best to survey the damage… But first, let us have a look around." He took to his feet and headed towards the door. "Aren't you coming?"

Rey was still struggling to undo her seatbelt. "Just a moment, it's stuck…"

Though he could have used his powers for such a simple task, he would rather take advantage of the opportunity to be close to her once more. Making his way back over, he took her hands into his. "Allow me."

"I don't need your help..." Her hands eased back and managed to undo the seatbelt herself. "Come on…"

The planet's heat was intense like Jakku. However, the climate was wet and sticky. The forest was full of lush greenery, and unique wildflowers of all colors. Enormous trees hovered over them, which helped shield them from the planet's sun. For a moment, Rey was taken back by the beauty. Feet carried her over to the patch of color, while his wistful eyes followed her every movement. Dazed by her pure curiosity, he stood back to see her pick one of the colorful blossoms.

Rey brought the luscious red bulb up to her nose to breathe in its' sweet aroma. Shock ran through her body, which forced her hand to release the scarlet bulb.

"Rey…?" He muttered out as he began to wander back over to her side. Just as her name rolled off his tongue, she collapsed into the greenery. Her fall was graceful and moved slowly through his eyes. Every detail of her descent was taken in by him. He noticed the way her robe's fabric flowed in harmony with her hair, the peaceful expression that washed over her face, and the lightness of her landing. Upon making it to her side, Ben lifted her head from the grass as he kneeled beside her. Among the flowers, she appeared as though she could sleep for one hundred years.

Those dazed eyes slowly opened, and Rey felt bewildered. "What happened?"

Ben's hand already grasped a hold of the same bloom. "This flower...I have read about these. I thought they were just in folktales. They are called truth blossoms… It is said that breathing in their pollen can cause minor side effects, such as fainting…"

Rising up, she rubbed her head. "Then why are they called truth blossoms?"

His eyes lit as a villainous grin pulled across his lips. "They also act as a truth serum. Of course, it is not a sound argument. We will have to test the theory."

Worry began to eat away at her belly, and she felt as though she should run away. "I would rather not..."

"Tell me something about my appearance…" Confidence bled through his pores, and he continued to smirk.

"You have unusually large ears." Just has words spilled, she gasped and placed her hand over her mouth.

Her truth was followed by his sigh. "It's working…" All his confidence had bled away. After standing, he peered down at her. "Need me to carry you?" He was only teasing, of course.

Still feeling the side effects of the truth blossom, Rey found that it was hard to stand. "Yes." Before the serum, Rey would have never admitted she needed his help.

For just a moment, he was frozen by her acceptance. "Oh…" After stripping off a layer of his robe, he stooped down and allowed her to crawl onto his back. Feeling her arms loosely tied around his neck was almost too much for him to handle.

Like a torpedo, Rey flung one of the truth blossoms towards his nose. She had hidden one in her pocket. The sudden threat of truth snapped him out of his trance. He grasped her wrist just in time. Using his free hand, he gripped the collar of her tunic and flung her over his head. Before hitting the ground, he caught her and eased her down. She laid pinned beneath him. "You tricked me!"

"It is only fair that we both succumb to the truth serum." she pleaded with him playfully.

"I don't need the aid of a plant to tell you the truth, Rey… How do I even know if it is really working? Tell me something true..." he glared down at her.

"I want you to kiss me..." bold words of confession escaped her.

Without hesitation, he eased forward to her lips. Just before they graced her own, Ben turned his cheek and whispered softly into her ear. "No." After freeing her, he made his way back onto his feet. "Now we are even." Again, he crouched for her to crawl onto his back.

They spent some time traveling through the tropical forest scouting out the area. Rey remained upon Ben's back through it all. At some point, their outing became a bit excessive. Darkness would soon fall, and it was nearing time to head back. Stopping by a tree, Ben looked up to the sky. Without any warning, a torrent of rain began to pour down on them. Swiftly, he lowered Rey from his back and nestled her between him and the tree's trunk. "Has the effect worn off any?"

Though he meant to shield her from the rain, it mattered not. Both were drenched in one another's sweat.

"Yes, it has for some time." Lips offered him a cunning smile to go along with her response.

At first, he took comfort in knowing that her strength had returned. That is until he realized she had once again outwitted him. "You mean to tell me that I carried you for nothing?" The palm of his hand slammed into the tree, while his eyes focused on her intently.

Rey looked over at his hand and followed the contour of his tightened muscular arm until she reached his face. "It's called payback. You made it too easy."

"Payback, for what? Not kissing you?" A twinge on his cheek forced his lips to curl into a devilish grin.

Thrown off by his blatant guess, she began to trip over her own words. "No, that's not what I meant…"

Ben had cornered her, and there was no escape. The rain washed over them, while they locked eyes.

"Fine, I will do it. I will kiss, right now." He moved forward and closed the small gap that was between them. Rough hands smoothed over her arms, while his body pressed against hers.

Rey had not expected this moment to come so soon. She knew what was in her heart, but tried to keep those feelings locked away. However, her body yearned for it, and what better place to accept it.

Once he noticed the seriousness in her eyes, he snickered lightly and pulled back.

Immediately, she gathered that he was toying with her again. Unable to control her fury, her arms shoved him away and she stormed off.

...

Darkness had long fallen, and Rey had yet to return. The planet's moons had risen high in the nighttime sky. The downpour of warm rain ceased.

Ben had chosen to give her some space and spent a few hours making repairs to the ship. Once he finished, he built a rather nice fire near an assortment of blankets and a pillow. The camp was meant as an unspoken apology. This way, Rey could sleep under the stars. Sitting back against a rock, anxious eyes looked about. Still, there was no sight of her.

"Damnit! She better be in trouble..." Clutching a fist, he stood and headed into the dark forest. He passed the tree from before, and could suddenly sense that she was not too far. Traveling through some shrubs, he found his way to an enormous rusted piece of technology. The machinery was unlike any he had ever seen.

"About time you got here, I was starting to get worried." Her voice came from above. With that said, Rey jumped down. A piece of scrap metal rested in her hand.

"Me?! You're the one who stormed off and disappeared..." He nearly fell over at her presumptuous remarks. "I could have used some help fixing the Falcon… what were you doing out here anyway? Don't tell me, you are reverting back to scavenging?" Words were carefully chosen to get under her skin, no doubt.

Not only did it get under her skin, but it made her blood boil.

Realizing what he had done, his eyes diverted away from her. His hand nervously smoothed through his hair before speaking again. "Just tell me what you were doing out here…"

His comment bruised her, and she feared he would always see her as a simple scavenger. Rey took a moment to find her center, to calm herself. "It is a piece of ancient technology. When I came upon it, I suspected that it was what drew our ship to this planet. Despite its rusty state, it was still active. To be so old, it is certainly a sophisticated piece of machinery with unusual magnetic properties. It must have been built as a weapon, to make ships crash. I managed to deactivate it's energy source. We should be able to take off now."

"You clever thing…" He mumbled to himself as his eyes admired her.

Rey was to distracted to notice the way he looked at her. "Do you feel that?" Body froze, while sharp eyes searched through the darkness.

Just then, the ground began to tremble. A horrible sound of trees cracking, in the distance, was accompanied by the loud crash of them falling down. Whatever was coming, it was huge and blocking their way back to the Falcon.

"Take my hand, I don't want to lose you." Ben reached out to her.

Without a second thought, she took his hand. The two ran up along side a river with a fierce current. With every passing moment, the creature got closer to closing in on them. Rey yanked Ben's arm and pulled him to a stop just before a tree fell nearly right on top of them. "We're trapped…"

Desperately, he searched for another way around. His attention kept being drawn to the river. Their eyes locked, and all was quiet for the moment.

Rey understood, and offered him a simple nod of approval.

Just then, he weaved his fingers with hers. "I won't let you go." With that said, he pulled her along into the raging river. The two had escaped the formidable foe for now.

Fighting through the current, Ben manager to keep Rey afloat. Despite being thrown and pulled under the water, his hand never lost hers. The river spat them out in the shallow pool of muddy water near the ship.

Both laid back in the mud trying to catch their breath. Rey turned her head to meet his glance. Looking down, she saw his hand still grasped hers. Ben had kept his word. A word she never doubted.

Leaning over, he placed a tender kiss upon her forehead.

Her bit of comfort was shaken by the beast's growl.

They made it aboard the Falcon just in time to blast away from the planet. Neither looked back.

Soon they arrived in a different star system and made it to their destined planet. Once they were granted clearance to land, Rey parked the Millennium Falcon among other freighters, cruisers, and vessels.

After entering a local inn, the two approached the inn manager while completely drenched in water, sweat, and mud. Among the elegant splendor, they seemed even more so out of place.

Despite the manager standing right before them, Ben rang the buzzer and cleared his throat. "We are in need of a room."


	9. Refuge

A gateway separates the mundane from the sacred space. Within lies a safe haven of peace, mediation, and intimacy. A paradise that separates mind from brain, heart from chest, and soul from body. Here, inside the bound of plaster walls, crafted between the four directions, Rey found a place of refuge. This room, she could call home. For now, she could admire the simple comforts of an ordinary life.

The brass key was aged and appeared fragile in Ben's large rough hand. He turned the key to unlock the entrance, which led into their shared room at the inn. As the door cracked open, cool air brought a chill to Rey's arms, while wet clothes adhered to every contour and crevice of her body.

The moon's shine illuminated the room enough to aid in Ben's quest for the light switch. Upon entering, the breeze coming from an open window caused the door to slam shut behind them. Fatigue consumed both of their faces, as their tired eyes searched about the small space. Before observing all the fancy embellishments, they first noticed that there was only one bed.

Rey glanced in his direction, only to notice his discomposure.

He looked away as he spoke, "I will sleep on the floor, of course. Unless you prefer the room to yourself."

Baffled, she responded, "No..." While looking over to the bed, her fingers smoothed over her lips as she contemplated the situation. Laced with a heavy gray comforter and soft feather pillows, the mattress had to be at least three times as big as the one she was used to. "There is room for both of us."

Distracted by the way her hands moved, he nearly missed what she said. "As you wish." His eyes watched as she wandered about. He marveled the way she admired their room. In his own mind, the space was not so luxurious and was similar to other places he had traveled. However, when compared to the rest of the city, the inn appeared to be from another time. Rather than having the sterile look of hi-technology decorated with metallics, machinery, and other fashions inspired by modernity, the inn was lavished with laced fabric, antique woods, and floral wallpapers. This place was soft and comfortable. Unlike any dwelling, he had come to know over the last decade. If anything, it was comparable to the place he once called home, long ago. Or perhaps, it was not the room that brought upon his feeling of ease, but instead, it was…

She caught his gaze while curious hands explored the handles on the sink. The way the water poured from the faucet pulled her attention away from him.

A wave of shock washed over him. Suddenly, he remembered that Rey was unfamiliar with common luxuries. Air conditioning, electricity, and running water were foreign to her. He had taken her away from this kind of life. "Take off your clothes." Lips softly murmured while his dark eyes continued to fix on her.

"W-what?" Her inquiry lacked signs of any revulsion.

"That is...I will send them to be cleaned and draw you a warm bath. Besides, it is not as though I have not already seen you…" He paused to clear his throat, and to his surprise, Rey began to slip out of her garments.

"A gentleman would turn around." Merely a suggestion that she offered, which he chose to ignore. After a moment passed, Rey gave him a sharp glare to let him know she was serious. "Ahem."

"You said a gentleman. I am no gentleman." Ben could not hold back his smirk before he caught her look of disapproval. With that, he sighed and obliged her demand.

While standing with his back turned, he felt a chill. Hard eyes focused on the moonlight that danced wildly upon the window seal. The feeling of the cold ran through him and forced him to sneeze. Soothing arms extended around his waist from behind. The cold was defeated by the wave of heat he felt from her touch. After feeling her forehead press against his back, his eyes perked open. He was stunned and rendered completely motionless by her touch. "Rey…?"

"Take care, Ben." Small hands began to pull away his robes. Just as they smoothed up to his shoulders, he stopped her.

"Don't…" His voice was much firmer than before. Those strong hands grasped hers to a halt but lingered atop them.

His refusal was infuriating. Unable to contain herself, she forced him to turn. "You're cold. Why do you stop me?" Ignoring his request, Rey continued to tug away his tunic.

His own anger matched hers. Taking her by the wrist, he forced her to cease her advancement. Without hesitation, she pushed back. Her glare was sharp enough to pierce his skin.

Dazzled by her strength, his eyes wandered over her body while his grip tightened around her wrist. Desire pulsed within him, and he wanted nothing more than to rid her of her undergarments. Ben knew he should free himself from such thoughts before he lost control.

Hesitantly, he loosened his grip. "This is why…" Words trailed off as he pulled away his tunic and exposed his bare chest to her. Scars covered his upper body. The largest and most fresh being the one she had inflicted. The reminiscence of each carved wound would forever be a reminder of his devious deeds as Kylo Ren.

(The next passage skips ahead to the next night. Rey is recalling what happened previously while taking a shower. Italics are the past.)

The small drizzles of warm water spilled down the curvature of Rey's bareback. While standing under the shower faucet, her mind contemplated the night before.

 _Seeing his scars made her feel and share his pain, his torment. Her mind had left its flesh container, and time itself was lost within their silent stare._

 _All too soon, the quiet had been broken by his sudden maneuver to strip away the rest of his garments. Without any words spoken, he wrapped himself in a stark white towel and slipped out of the room with their soiled clothes._

 _For the first time, in the small span of a few days, Rey was left alone with her thoughts. Having rattled him, she ended up drawing her own bath. That night, the warmth of the freshwater encapsulated her worries. She was able to rid her mind of them and rest her tired eyes._

 _Rey was startled awake by an unease call to her. "Rey...?" Words were spoken through the closed door. The tone of his voice appeared to have calmed. When there was no reply, he took it upon himself to enter the bathroom._

 _The realization of his presence made her body recede into the water. Her eyes snapped over to his, but his gaze looked at the soft cotton robe that was cradled in his arms. Seeing him stripped of his dark clothes felt intriguing. Though his eyes looked elsewhere, she allowed hers to wander. He sensed her admiring his snow white tan._

" _I brought you a dressing gown." Resisting the dark side was much easier than resisting the ache of desire he felt for her. After feeling the twinge of longing beneath his towel, he left her robe on the sink and made a quick exit._

In the shower, Rey began to blush as she recalled the next part. Her hand sensually graced her arms with a bar of soap, before wrapping them around herself. Memories of how he touched her the night before consumed her.

 _Bare feet led her back into their shared bedroom. The pure white robe was loosely wrapped around her nakedness. Her damp hair was pulled over to her left shoulder. After sitting on the foot of the bed, her hands nervously combed through her dark locks._

 _This time, he took her in. The cloth that shielded bare body was simply restrained by a thin belt. One that could easy be undone with his mind. Something about seeing her bare feet and loose wet hair drove him wild. Yet, he felt so comfortable being here with her. A feeling he could not taint with impure thoughts._

 _Ben took advantage of having a shower to get his mind straight. The water that washed over him was cold, but it did not help shake intimate images of Rey from his mind. The harder he tried, the more they seemed to invade him. He had to stay in control, stay focused. But what could ease his tense state? Hard breaths escaped his lips as flesh touched flesh. Those dark eyes laid shut while his hand stroked himself._

 _Her eyes simultaneously followed his motion after she laid back against the plush mattress. Mind was too focused on thoughts of Ben to notice how comfortable it felt. It appeared has though she had lost control of herself. Her hand crept into her robe, and fingers explored the wetness that had formed between her legs. The sensation of her touch sent waves of pleasure through her body. Their minds connected, and she could envision him touching her even clearer._

 _Having her in his mind made it hard for him to control his release. Feeling her pleasure made him climax. Dazed by the power of their connection, he was unsure if it had even been real. Though his action had soothed his mental state, his member was still hard and throbbing._

 _Rey suddenly lost her link to his pleasure, but she continued to touch herself. Just as her sensation was about to reach its peak, the bathroom door creaked open._

 _He had caught her in a semi-compromising position. Despite having had time to pull her hand from beneath her gown, the fabric was clearly displaced and exposed every inch from her upper thigh to the tips of her toes. The cloth had even fallen from her shoulder and her breast nearly spilled out. If that wasn't obvious evidence, then the flushed look on her face should have been enough to incriminate her. Rey tried to hide her heavy breathing, and gently bit her lower lip._

 _He had never looked at her with such wide eyes. "Fuck…" was all his thoughts could articulate. Of course, he did not say that out loud. Rather, he played his words very carefully. "If you wanted me to touch you… you should have just asked." With his words well played, he smirked and allowed his erection to extended out beneath the towel._

 _Quick hands shuffled the fabric back in place, and she clenched her robe together at the neck. "I am going to bed…" Her pulse intensified at the sight of him. Rey did not waste any time to turn away._

 _A soft but smug kinda laugh escaped him. "My dear, despite how you may feel about me...you cannot go on denying this attraction we share. Rather it is unwanted or not, the bond is there. However, if it isn't unwanted... then don't fight it."_

 _Many emotions were racing through her, and she could not quite get a grasp on them. Desperately, she tried to remember her teachings but was drawing a blank. When it came to her feelings for Ben, she was just an ordinary person. Not a force user. Her feelings were not something she could control. All she could do was hide them behind lies. Just as soon as she laid down, her body snapped back up. "Don't think for a second that you have that kind of power over me. The bond is most definitely unwanted, and my supposed feelings are non-existent. Now for once and for all, goodnight!"_

 _Under normal circumstances, her words would have hurt him, and maybe they did. But he wouldn't let them get to him, not tonight. "It isn't that easy Rey. I won't have you tonight… but I will give you a taste of how good it would feel to let me in."_

 _His body moved onto the bed and dominated over hers. The movements forced her to ease back against the bed frame. She found herself trapped between his muscular arms, and crushed beneath his strong chest. He forced himself between her legs and pushed his crotch against hers. After clasping her cheek within his hand, Ben drug his rough fingers over her smooth lips. His hand then slipped down her throat and into her dressing gown. Barely missing her breast, his hand ventured across her chest and over to her shoulders. Long fingers pulled the fabric to once again fall off her shoulder, which made it easier for his hand to stroke down the full length of her arm. At the same time, his other hand ventured up her thigh, slow and steady, until he nearly touched her most intimate area. He could feel the heat coming from her, and it was intoxicating._

 _His every movement gave her chills. Moans trailed from her parted lips, and her hips uncontrollably bucked forward against him. She felt the bridge of his nose extending up the length of her neck, and Ben whispered, "you're wishing that I'd kiss you... You want to know what it feels like to have another's lips upon your own… Not just anyone's, but mine. That is…it's only proper that I kiss you before I go on touching, licking, and fuc-." He paused to let his bottom lip smooth over her earlobe. The heat from his breath made her tense up. "You want to know the feeling since no one has ever kissed you before." He paused and grinned before continuing on. "Well, aside from the kisses I have given you within dreams. Do those count?" Finally, his leering stare captured her. He marveled at her every way._

" _I've told you before to stay out of my head…" Rey's voiced snapped back, but her eyes said something completely different. Neither the way her pupils were dilated nor the fact that she did not fight his advancements went unnoticed. She was angry, but not at his advancements. Angry at herself. Angry that her body betrayed her. Angry that if he continued on that way, that she might say yes._

" _I don't need to be in your mind to see that you desire me in that way." He admired her a bit longer before he took to his feet. "Now, you can finish yourself if you'd like. Goodnight... sweetheart." With that said, he slipped into his own nightgown. Now feeling somewhat satisfied that he had tormented her as she had him, he left the room._

Her arms fell to her sides as she thought of the next part. Looking down, she saw the stream of the shower's clear water going down into the darkness of the drain. Those almond-shaped eyes had lost their spark and were overtaken by a sad kind of longing.

 _That night, Rey did not dream.. She was awoken by a gentle knock on the door. Before thinking about who it could be, her eyes darted to Ben's side of the bed. There was no sign that he had come back. The cover was still neatly tucked into the mattress._

 _Her legs stumbled over to the door to open it, but she paused. Memories of the night before flashed through her. Her hand extended out to place itself on the door as she hesitated._

 _She knew it was him on the other side, but wondered why he took it upon himself to knock this time._ _Again, he knocked. That one startled her out of her trance, and she slowly opened the door._

 _He wouldn't look at her. His body was stiffly holding a tray of food. "I realized that I didn't know what you liked… So, I got you one of everything." The tray of food was brimming with fresh fruit and pastries. He hovered at the doorway but refused to come in uninvited._

 _The words thank you flowed through her mind, but something kept her from saying them out loud. "Come in…" Two words that were spoken instead._

 _The tray was carefully placed on a nearby table, along with her washed clothes. "There's more…" Her back was to him, which actually made this easier for him._ _Silent moments passed, and she said nothing. So, he continued on instead. "I want to apologize for my behavior last night. As you know, being close to you is difficult for me. It clouds my judgment, and I am sorry." At last his somber eyes looked upon her, but he realized that she was not looking back. "I am really... sorry." Words he deliberately emphasized. "I have reserved my own room and made arrangements for the innkeeper's daughter to show you around. Tomorrow night's event is formal attire. So, I have placed the proper currency in your clean garments. I won't see you again until then. Of course, should you need anything… I am in the room across the hall." He very purposely had his room placed near her own. By the time she turned, he was gone._

 _The events of the rest of the day seemed small in comparison to the moments she had shared with Ben. Though she was being shown around the city, it was hard for her to enjoy herself. Without Ben by her side, she felt the hole that he had patched beginning to unravel._

 _The Inn Keeper's daughter had been kind enough to select Rey a gown for the formal event held by the republic. She had also offered to help her prepare her hair and make-up. Though the thought made Rey feel uneasy, she graciously accepted._

 _The two returned to the inn rather late. After parting ways, Rey headed back to her room for a warm shower. Before entering, she stared in the direction of Ben's room. It was as though gravity was trying to pull her towards it. She wouldn't allow herself to go to him. Rey knew it was silly, for he had been kind to her, but she felt disheartened that he hadn't been the one to show her around. After all, she got a very strange feeling about this place. One that made her feel a bit unsettled. Something about it felt… all too familiar._

She had hoped that the warmth of the water would soothe her. Instead, it just gave her more time alone with her thoughts. The pouring water reminded her of the glorious fountain that was at the center of the city. Similar to the inn, it did not fit in with the rest of the modern architecture. It was much older and hand-crafted with great artistry. Rey closed her eyes and envisioned the fountain, and it prompted a memory. The vision brought tears to her eyes. Hands masked her face as she wept.

By the time he found her, the water had grown cold. Ben's hand briskly pulled the shower curtain back, to find his sobbing companion. When he felt her sadness, he hadn't hesitated to come to her side. While still in his slacks, he stepped into the shower.

Rey frowned at him as tears rolled down her face. "Why didn't you tell me?" As he came closer to her, she fought him and pushed him back. "You lied to me… you said you would always be honest with me… I trusted you. Why did you keep this from me?"

Ben allowed her to beat on his bare chest. "Are you done yet?!" His tone was a laced with fury until he saw the deepness of her sorrow. A hard sigh escaped him. "Look, I was going to tell you… the timing just hadn't been right."

Rey stopped her assault on him, and let her arms fall limply to her sides. She hung her head down feeling ashamed to have let him see her in such a state.

"Don't…" He pulled her sultry body into a tight grasp. His hand forced her chin up, which made her eyes meet his gaze. "Strength comes in many forms… Allowing yourself to be vulnerable can express great strength."

To her own surprise, her arms tied themselves around his neck and she surrendered to his tender embrace.

With great ease, he lifted her up and carried her to bed. He helped slip her into her dressing gown, before tucking her under the feathery comforter. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart." His lips upon her head made her heart ache. When she saw him headed for the door, her aching heart sunk into her belly. "Ben…?"

He stopped. "Yes?"

"Would you stay...with me?"

He continued to the door, which caused her to look away in disappointment.

After locking the door and switching off the light, he made his way back over to the bed. When he rested back against his side of the bed, she locked eyes with him. Again they just stared as though they could see into each other's soul. Rey's hand reached out and stroke his cheek while she studied the details of his face.

He just closed his eyes and accepted the warmth of her touch. His Rey of light was the brightest thing in his dark world. Her every way was so beautiful to him. He would do anything to keep her light from fading into darkness. Rey was his only refuge.


End file.
